| History of the curling iron. Is there such a thing or | | | | climate, shaved their heads. On ceremonial |
| is the curling iron just a modern invention? Each | | | | occasions, for protection from the sun, they wore |
| generation is the same. We think we have | | | | wigs. The wigs would be short and curly or long |
| invented something new when perhaps all we | | | | and full of curls or braids. The Science Museum |
| have done is to modify "old inventions" by | | | | has an example of curling tongs used by rich |
| applying modern technology. Let us begin to | | | | Egyptians to prepare their wigs.In classical Greece |
| investigate the history of the curling iron or, as it | | | | it is known that the upper classes used curling |
| is also known, the curling tong.Let us begin with | | | | irons.Through time there have been many |
| the definition of a curling iron. It is a tool, a | | | | methods devised to curl hair and to keep the curl |
| cylindrical metal appliance, used to change the | | | | in place. For example, in 1906 Charles L. Nessler, a |
| structure of the hair by applying heat to a lock of | | | | German hairdresser working in London, applied a |
| hair that has been curled around it. It is natural to | | | | borax paste and curled hair with an iron to |
| think with a modern mind and assume that the | | | | produce the first permanent waves. This costly |
| heat is generated by electricity. However, the | | | | process took twelve hours. Eight years later, |
| curling iron goes way back before the introduction | | | | Eugene Sutter adapted the method by creating a |
| of electricity.We only have to look at carvings | | | | dryer containing twenty heaters to do the job of |
| from the ancient world to see that people cared | | | | waving more efficiently. Sutter was followed by |
| about the style of their hair and that a popular | | | | Gaston Boudou, who modified Sutter's dryer and |
| style involved creating curls. Babylonian and | | | | invented an automatic roller. By 1920, Rambaud, a |
| Assyrian men dyed their hair and square beards | | | | Paris beautician, had perfected a system of curling |
| black and crimped and curled them with curling | | | | and drying permed hair for softer, looser curls by |
| irons. Persian nobles also curled their hair and | | | | using an electric hot-air dryer, an innovation of the |
| beards, quite often staining them.Egyptian nobles, | | | | period made by the Racine Universal Motor |
| men and women, cropped their hair close but | | | | Company of Racine, Wisconsin. |
| later, for coolness and cleanliness in their hot | | | | |